Insulated rail-joint.



' J. H. BROTHERS.

i msuLATED RAIL JOINT.

AFPLIOATION FILED MAILZZ. 1907.

l PatentedDecf, 19.11.

v 4 sHEBTs-SHBBT 1.

mi. momma., INSULAT'ED RAIL JOINT.

'APPLIQATION 1711.31) 11113.22, 1907.

Patented Dec. 5, 1911 LJ. H, BROTHERS. I 'INSULATED RAIL JOINT.

. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 22,1907. v 1 ,Q10-,850. Patented Dec. 5,' 1911.

5 my gv 49] 7426s /mam n APPLIOATION pILimvMALzzJeo'l. J 1,010,850. A

J. H. BROTHERS. INSULATBD RAIL JOINT.

W :J5 y

5M INVENTOR v new ../Ezzefir,

Patent-.ea Dem,- 1911.

` "bars throughout, but owing to the relatlvely UNITED STATES PATENT' oEEroE.

JAMES H. BROTHERS, NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE RAIL JOINT COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., CORPORATION OF NEW YORK. t

INSULATED RAIL-JOINT.

Specication of Letters Patent.

lPatented Dec. 5, 1911.

Application led March 22, 1907. Serial No. -363,921.

a citizen of the United States, residing at Newark, in the county ofEssex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Insulated Rail@` Joints, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the art of insulated rail joints, and has special reference to certain novel and practical improvements therein designed to provide a solid metallic bearing support at the under sides of the rail heads, and also-to maintain an effective insulation throughout the oint.

To this end the invention contemplates an insulated rail joint wherein no insulation isinterposed directlybetween the sides of the rails and the metallic bars` of the joint next to the same, thereby allowing theheads of the rails to take ajsolid, direct bearing on the said joint bars, and permitting of the provision of such a bearing or bearings for the insulating members or material as to more effectually safeguard thesam'e fromv flowing, lor cutting out, under the pressure of the load imposed on the rails by the passing trains.

Hence, a distinctive object ofthe inventionv resides 1n the provision of means f or obviating placing the 1nsulat1ng materlal between the rails and joint bars Awhich underlie the rail'heads, such disposition of the insulating material causing the latter to 'be in contact with both the rails and the joint small area at the under sides of the rail heads, at which point the greatest pressure of the load is exerted, the insulation .is ordinarily rapidly worn away through a flowing or cutting action. j

lt is therefore the lpurpose of the present invention to provide a construction which obviates the necessity of placing insulating material directly bta/een the rail sidesand kheads and the adjacent joint bars, and at the same time providing a novel arrangementof filler members and splice 'bars whereby the bearing area for the insulating material is increased to a greater extentV than the area of the under sides of the rail heads;- v

Inother-words, the-invention provides a novel construction, combination, and ar rangement of parts serving to efectually increase lthe bearing area for the insulating material, and decrease the liber st-rain, thus enabling the material to* better withstand the load imposed.

' i/Vith these and many other objects in view, which will more readily appear as-the nature of the invention is better understood, j

the same consists in the novel construction,

drawings, in which Figure l is a side elevation of one-design ofrail joint embodying'the presentinvention. Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view on the line 2 2 of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a similar View on the lin 3 3 of Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of another form of joint embodying the invention claimed herein. 5 is a cross sectional view of the joint shown in Fig. 4, the line of section being taken irregularly across the joint, in the plane, and at one side of the plane, of one of the joint bolts. Fig. 6 is a crosssectional view of a modified form of joint embodying the present invention. Fig. 7 is a similar View of another modified formy of joint embodying the present invention. j Figs. 8 and 9 arc cross sectional views similar to Figs.` 6 and 7 showing other modified forms of joints embodying the present invention.

Like references designate corresponding parts in the several iigures of the drawings.

As indicated above, a distinctive feature of the present invention resides in an insulated joint having outer splice bars, inner filler members or filler bars next to the rails,

and insulationv between the splice bars and the filler members, the latter beingv arranged to engage the under side of ,the rail head, and having flanges, the area of which flanges is greater .than the area of the under side of the. rail head, whereby an increased bearing area is provided for the insulation with a consequent reduction of the liber strain. This thought may be embodied in several forms of construction, and is exempliied soi by the design of joint shown in F igs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings. This joint fundamentally involves in its general organization the service rails 1 and 2, the oppositely arranged splice bars 3 extending the full length of the joint between the two rails, and the filler members, or filler bars, 4 arranged at tlie inner sides of the splice bars and taking a direct bearing against the rails and beneath the under sides 5 of the rail heads. The filler members 4 are not coextensive in length with the splice bars 8 and therefore do not extend the full length of the joint, as each rail end has litted thereto a pair of the iiller members 4 arranged respectivelynpon opposite sides thereof and terminating at the end of the rail, as plainly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. All of the said ller members are preferably duplicates in design and construction, and each of the same essentially consists of an upright portion or gil-der formedat its upper edge with a bearing head 6 taking a solid bearing directly against the under side of the rail head, and at its lower edge each filler member is shown as provided with an outwardly deflected inclined foot flange 7 overlying the upper side of the rail base and having formed integrally therewith the bottom. base section or base plate 8 arranged horizontally beneath the rail base and constituting a base support therefor, At its lower outer corner formed by the juncture of the foot flange 7 and base section 8, each filler member is provided with an outstanding reinforcing and spiking flange 9-subserving the usual functions of a flange of this character.

To provide for an effective insulation between the splice bars and the filler members, and at the same time increase the bearing area for the insulation, each liller member 4, in the design of joint shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, is provided at the outer side thereof with a plurality or. series ofA bearing projections l0. These bearing projections are illustrated as being in the form of a series of cross sectionally rectangular llanges or ribs disposed in parallelism longitudinally of the filler member or bar and arranged in spaced relation, whereby there is necessarily alternated with said projections or flanges intervening correspondingly shaped recesses which are designed to receive therein a complemental series of similar projections or flanges l1 projecting from the inner side of the splice bar 3. Hence, in the construction described, it will be observed that each filler member has offset or projected from its outer side a series of spaced bearing projections or flanges which overlap and register with a complemental series of similar projections at the inner side of the splice bar, andi between these registering faces of the tller'member or bar and the splice bar is interposed a sheet efinsulating material sents a bearing surface for t-he insulation of greater area than the area of the under side of the rail head, inasmuch as the combined areas of the bearing faces of the series of projections is obviously greater than the area of the underside of the rail head bearing on top of the filler member or bar.

In the form of joint just described, the same is completed by the employment of the usual series of joint bolts 13, and to provide for a proper bolt insulation any of the well known bolt insulating expedients may be employed, such for instance as insulating bushings or sleeves 14 lining the bolt holes in the filler members and splice bars, and the insulating washers 15 separate from or integral with the outer ends of the bushings or sleeves 14 and arranged between the outer faces of the splice bars and the backing' washers 16 which are disposed, as usual, at

' the inner sides of the heads and nuts of the In connection with theainsulation of the joint, it is to be further observed that bolts.

by reason of the discontinuity lof the filler members 4, that is the employment of filler members for each rail (which filler members terminate at the-end of said rail), the joint.

canbe effectively insulated by having' a one end insulation only therefor, that is, having the insulating material applied to the parts associated with one of the rails instead of being associated with both. Hence, for convenience of illustration, and to suggest an economical use of the insulation, the joint in Figs 1, 2 and 3 is illustrated as having the splice bars insulated with respect to only one rail, and only the joint bolts for that rail provided with insulating means above referred to. The insulation of the joint described is completed by the employment of the end post or equivalentinsulation 17 interposed between the railI ends and also between the ends of thediscontinuous filler members 4, as .indicated in F ig. 1 of the drawings.

Another embodiment of the invention is shown in the joint illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings. This joint includes the service rails 1 and 2, the continuous splice bars 18 and the discontinuous filler members or bars 19, and the joint bolts 20. In this construction, the splice bars and the filler members occupy the samerclation to each other and to the rail ends as the corresponding splice bars and filler members of the joint .shown inFia's. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings, and also the joint bolts 2O are shown as provided with the same insulation as the joint bolts 13, which insulation is indicated by the `same reference characters. F urthermore,.it will be observed that in the joint shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings, each of the filler members 19 is illustrated i as provided at its upper edge with a bearvand supporting'the rail base. In these particulars the 1511er members 19 are similar to the ller members 4, previously referred to, but in the form of joint now being described,

. each filler member 19 has its upright poi'.-

tion or girder in the form of a channel bar, which produces at the upper edge thereof not only the bearing head 21 but also an outwardly extending bearing projection or flange 25 whose bearing face is of greater area thanthe area of the under side of the rail head and is designed to bear on the upper outturned flange 26 of the side insulating sheet-27. This side insulating sheet 27 is interposed between the filler member 19 referred to and the splice bar 18 which registers in the channel of the filler member, and said insulating sheet 27 is also provided at its lower edge with a lower outturned flange 28, said flanges 26 and 28 being interposed respectively between the top and bottomedges of the splice bar and the opposing inclined faces of the filler member.

In' Figs. 4 and 5 of the. drawings theA joint is illustrated as having the side insulating sheets arranged in connection with thev filler members of -both rails, and the insulation of the joint is completed by the employment of the end insulation or-,end insulating post 29 interposed between the rail ends and alsd` between the'ends of the discontinuous filler members 19.

A further modification of the invention is suggested in Fig. 6 of the drawings illustrating a joint comprising the usual service rails, the outer continuous splicev vbars 30, the discontinuous filler members or bars V31,

` and the joint bolts 32`f"the latter vbeing provided with suitable insulation such as described. In this 4form of jo1nt, the filler members 31v bear the same relation to the rails` and -to the splice bars as already point-. ed out, but each of said filler members 31A terminates on the upper/side of the rail base,

that is, said member is provided at'its upper edge with a bearing head 33 for engagement with the under side of the rail head and at its lower edge with an outwardly deflected foot flange 34 overlying the rail base, While base.

edge the outstanding reinforcing and spiking flange 35 and the bottom horizontal base section or base plate 36*1 underlying the rail The form of joint shown in Fig. 6 is simi-V lar to the joint illustrated .in Figs. 2 and 3 in the particular of each filler member 31 being provided at the outer side thereof with a series of offstanding bearing projections or flanges 10'1.which overlap and register with a series of complemental bearing elements or flanges 11h1 projected from the inner side of the splice bar, and an insulating sheet 12 sinuously followsl the zigzag space between the said overlapping flanges lOa andlla. However, in this form of joint, a further modification suggested is to have the projections Orflanges 10a and l1 -of a triangular or V-shape in cross section instead `rificross sectlonally rectangular, as previously referred to. Furthermore, in the modification shown in Fig. 6, the said insulating sheet 12s is illustrated as having an extension or a ron 12b projecting over they the flange 34 and the rail base flange, and a bottom continuation 12 outer edges ko from the extension or apron 12b insulates the1 base section 36a from the bottom of the rai s.

f It will kbe observed that in the construction shown in Fig. 6 the combined areas of the bearing faces of the projections or flanges 10` provide an extended bearing surface for the insulation of greater area than the area of the bearing between thefiller member and the under side of the rail head.

A still further modification of the invention is shown in Fig. A7 of the drawings, which illustrates a joint comprising the usual service rails, the outer `continuous splice bars 36, the discontinuous filler members 37, and the joint bolts 38, the latter'being provided with insulating means such as described. Each filler member 37 is illustrated as provided at its lupper edge with a t bearing head 39 for engagement beneath the rail head, and at its lower edge with a footv flange 40 overlying the rail base. Also,vthev splice bar 36 is'illustrated as having its upright or girder member of a channel formation so as to produce at the upper edge of the splice bar an outturned angularly disposed bearing flange 42 arranged parallel with, and lying opposite the offstanding bearing .flange 41 projectedoutwardly from the upper portion of the filler member. Furvllt) thermore, the Splice bar 36 is formed witha lower ange member 43 overlying the foot flange 40 of the filler member. lower flange member 43 has formed integrally therewith the outstanding reinforcing and spiking flange 44 and with the bottom horizontal baser section 45, which latter The said underlies the rail base. n A. side insulating sheet 46 is interposed between the splice bar and lthe filler member, and provided at its upper edge with a top flange 47 interposed between the vlianges 41 and 42 of the filler member and splice bar, and at its lower edge the side insulating sheet is formed with an apron extension 48 extending over the outer,

which is of greater area than the area ofthe contact between the filler members the under side of the rail head.

The invention is further exemplified by 2o the modification shown in Fig. 8 of the drawings. The joint illustrated in this figure of ,the drawings is similar in its general design, and essential features, to the joint shown in Fig. 7, and embodies the usual service rails, the continuous splice bars 50 and 51, the discontinuous filler members 52 and the joint bolts 53a, the latter being provided with suitable insulating means, preferably such as described. Each filler member 52 is provided at its upper edge'with a bearing head 53 for engagement beneath the rail head, and at its lower edge with a foot flange 54 overlying the rail base. The said bearing head 53 at the upper edge of each filler member is formed with an outwardly extending bearing projection or flange 55 whose bearing face 56 is of greater area than the area of' the under side of the rail head, and in the form of the joint shown in Fig. 8 of the drawings, the said offstanding bearing projection or flange 55 of the and liller member 52 at the outside of the' rail is adapted to overlie an outturned angularly disposed bearing flange 57 deflected 45, outwardly from the upper edge of the continuous splice bar 50 located at the outer side of the joint. Itv will be observed that the said outer splice bar is provided with an upright girder member of a channel for- 50 mation producing the said upper vbearing flange 57 and the lower flange member 58 overlying the foot flange 54 of the filler me )er 52. The said lower flange member 58 of the outer splice bar 50 has formed integrally therewith the outstanding reinforcing and spiking Harige 59, and the bottom horizontal base section 60. In this embodiment of the invention, a distinctive feature thereof resides in the fact that the in- 30 ytegral base section 60, carried by the outer splice, bar 50, is of a width coextensive with,

or greater than, the width of the rail base so as to extend entirely under the rail base to the inside of the rail, as plainly shown in 55 Fig. .8 of the drawings.4 To provide'fer an Leidens effective insulation of the parts coperating with the said outer splice bar 50, a side insulating sheet 61 is interposed between said splice bar and the liller member 52, which side insulating' sheet is formed at its upper 7a edge with a flange extension 63, interposed between the bearing projection or liange 55 and the bearing flange 57. At its lower edge, the said insulating sheet is formed withI an apron extension 64 extending over the outer '75 edges of the foot flange 54 and the rail base, and having continued therefrom a bottom insulating section 64a lying between the full width base section and the rail base. Another distinctive feature ofthe design of joint, shown in Fig. 8 o'f the drawings, resides in associating with the filler member 52 arranged at the inside of the rail, a wood or equivalent block 66 acting in the capacity of a supplemental filler piece, and also as an insulating member between the ller member proper 52 and the continuous splice bar 51. In this construction, the element 51 subserves the functions of the continuous splice bar of the joint, while also acting in the capacity of the bolt plate which is ordinarily arranged against wooden filler blocks in joints employing the latter. However, in this connection, it will be observed that by making the wooden filler block 66 continu- 95 ous throughout the joint, the same would serve the double function of an insulator and a splice bar, butin any arrangement, with the wooden block 66 used alone or in combinationwith the bar 51, itwill beobserved that the bearing projection or flange 55 ofthe main filler member 52 has a bearing on the upper correspondingly beveled side of the said wooden block 66, thus carrying out the prominent feature ofthe invention herein emphasized.

A rearrangement of the joint shown in Fig. 8 is suggested in Fig. 9 of the drawings, which illustrates a joint embodying all of t-he'structural features of the one shown lio in said Fig. 8, with the exception of substituting for the wooden block 66 at the inner side of the joint, a channel or equivalent splice bar 67 havinginterposed between the same and the adjacent iller member 52, a side insulating sheet 68 of substantially the same form as the corresponding insulating sheet shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings.

Other modifications will suggest themselves to those skilled inthe art, and it will be understood that various changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrilicing any of the advantages ofthe invention.

Iv claim 1. In an insulated rail joint, the rails, splice-bars provided with a plurality of projections, iiller members arranged against the fand. provided with a plurality ofl,

projetions overlying those of the splieebars and presenting bearing surfaces Whose combined area is'greater than `that of the under side of the rail heads, and insulation interposed between. the splice bars and the lfiller members. 2. In an insulated .rail 4joint, the rails,

splice-bars provided at their inner sides with a series of longitudinal bearing projections, filler members arranged next to the rails and provided at their .outer sides with a series of longitudinal bearingv projections occupying a complemental relation to the projections of the splice-bars and overlying the latter, and insulating material interposed between the splice bars and thel filler members. v

'3. In an insulated raily joint, the rails, splicebars, filler members having a bearing under the rail heads and provided with supporting base sections underlying the rail bases, and insulation interposed between the splice-bars and the filler membersif 4. In an insulated rail joint, the rails, spliee-bars, fillermeinbers having a bearing under the rail heads and provided with a supporting base section underlying the rail bases, said filler members having projections presenting a bearing surface of greater area than the area of the under side of the rail heads, and insulating material interposed between the splice-bars and the filler inembers. v

5. In a rail joint, an outside bar having at `least two laterally extending upper bearing faces for insulating material above the rail base, said bar extending opposite both rails of the joint, and an inner bar supported by and insulated from said faces and contacting with one rail only,

6. In a rail joint, an outer bar extending opposite both joint rails, and having at least -two laterally extending upper bearing faces for insulation, an inner bar to Contact with onerail only and having at least vtwo laterally extending under bearing faces-for insulation, and insulating material interposed between said insulation bearing faces.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afliX my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

. .JAMES H. BROTHERS.-

Witnesses:.

E. A. VAN DnUsnN, BENJA. WoLHAnr'rER.

Copies of this patentl may be obtained for ve` cents each, by adressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D; C." 

